Aku Yokoshima
Appearance Aku is a tall, rather lanky woman who had long black hair that hung down to frame her face and was tied into a long ponytail in the back, as well as dark, soulless eyes. Her outfit consisted of many buckles and belts and seems to be made of leather and is all black and crimson in color. Her weapon is a gigantic scythe, purplish-black in color and she carries it around in her hand. During her time in the Seireitei prison, she had her hair cut short because of detainee regulation. Afterwhich, she is seen in more casual clothing that consisted of a T-shirt with the abdomen a scarlet red and the top a gritty yellow. She sports blue jeans and sandals without socks. Personality A rather level-headed and serene person, Aku gives off the illusion of a respectful and law-abiding woman. In combat or otherwise, she is rarely shown to be intimidated or alarmed and is known to think several steps ahead of situations placed before her. When in battle, Aku speaks to her opponent as if they were simply a companion or sparring partner, chiding them if they make tactical mistakes. Aku initially appears to be a laid-back, calm, kind, and polite person, appearing to be a simple trekker and vagabond of the Soul Society. In truth, when she reveals her true self, she is quite morbid and ruthless, caring very little for the life around her and treating such as expendable. Unlike regular antagonists, she doesn't seem interested in power or conquest, only "exploration", as she is willing to put it. She is willing to use any measure in order to further her goals, even slaughtering her own comrades and allies if necessary. Sadism is also in her nature; she likes to toy with her opponent's emotions and lure them into her mind games for her own personal amusement. Similar to the likes of Tereya Seishou, she is focused on only survival and domination against her opponents, willing to push aside honor and compassion. At her time spent in the Seireitei, Aku was known to be an experienced musician and singer, taking full pride in her melodic abilities. This made her quite popular with the residents of the Seireitei, many of which crowded around to hear her sing. To this day, she prefers to play the piano or sing tunes to herself in her spare time. To date, the equally manipulative Taiki Kurosaki has been able to see through Aku's facade and manipulation tactics, having some sense of her feelings. In turn, she seems to hold him as an equal, commenting in her battle with him that she was "just like him". History Aku Yokoshima was born in the 64th District of the Rukongai, The North Alley of Wandering Spirits. As a young child, her personality was vastly different from how it is in the present time. She was a kind, cheerful, outgoing young girl. Despite the poor region she lived in, she was constantly happy to be surrounded by her family. Aku and her family made yearly trips to Mt. Koifushi, and Aku remarks that that is one of the happiest memories she retains. She, like many other Shinigami before now, was a student of the Shinnou Academy. It at first was a rocky start for her, getting low grades right off of the bat due to carelessness. However, as she progressed through her classes, she became more adaptive to them, getting higher rates of success. Slowly, she ascended from an unseated officer, to a seated officer, and finally to the rank of Captain of the 3rd Division. It wasn't too soon, however, before tensions began to arise. One night, as Aku was roaming the barracks of the 11th Division in order to speak with the Captain, she heard noise coming from a near-abandoned part of the facility. Having the impression of violence going on due to screaming and shouting, she immediately hid herself upon coming across a slightly opened door. Peeking inside, she looked on in horror as a girl, stripped of her clothing, was being brutally raped by four men. The horror was immediately amplified when she recognized those men as members of the 11th Division. She would later comment that the scene was quite graphic, and the men seemed to know torture. She had gotten so sickened that she ran from the room and puked. Angrily, she went up to the 11th Division captain at the time to complain, but her claims were immediately rejected. Even when the rape victim finally allowed herself to speak to the captain as well, she too was dismissed out of the belief that the two women were just making it up in order for their own benefit. This forever gave the belief that the Seireitei was going corrupt, and that "true justice" was fading. She resolved to take matters into her own hands, even if that meant going against the Seireitei. After getting the identities of the rapists, Aku set out on her own personal mission to punish them. As she was searching for a good opportunity to do so, she also made moves in order to keep tabs on the rest of the Gotei 13, particularly the Captain of the 2nd Division. Although strong, she knew her limits, and so picked another of her caliber in order to assist her in the case that she defected - Hiraishin. Setting up a trap, she sent one of the Captain-Commander's Hell butterflies with the message to come back to the Seireitei and allow for the rest of the 2nd Division to fend off a Hollow attack. When she herself came across the scene, Senko, Hiraishin's sister, was one of the many who had been slaughtered. After confirming Senko's death, Aku retreated from the area and just in time to encounter Hirashin himself. After a conversation, Aku "decides" to take Hiraishin along in order for a quest of revenge on the Seireitei. Synopsis Ketsurui Arc *Bleach: Ketsurui: Tragedy of Dawn *Bleach: Ketsurui: Undisputed Defeat *Bleach: Ketsurui: The Shadow of a Memory *Bleach: Ketsurui: Deicide *Bleach: Ketsurui: Deicide II, Dawn of the Demon Takahashi Arc *Bleach: Shihai no Tsumi: Pride on the Blade Powers and Abilties Immense Spiritual Power: As formerly part of a senior generation of Captains, Aku possesses a tremendous amount of spiritual power, well above that of any average Captain. Rukia Kuchiki remarks that she as well as her partner Hiraishin possesses enough power to prove a severe threat to the Soul Society. Due to her Bankai's weakness, Aku fights with her Shikai accordingly, able to fight on par with even Bankai-level opponents with just the first release alone. Master Swordsmanship Specialist: Aku's skill in swordsmanship is exceptional, and she is highly masterful with the unique shape of her Zanpakutō. Her fighting style is quite versatile, being able to switch from offensive to defensive and back again instantly. The fact that she was able to fight on even ground with Shunsui Kyōraku, and later on Taiki Kurosaki simultaneously is a testament to her skill.Bleach: Ketsurui: Undisputed Defeat In her most recent fight with Shunsui, she was able to once again fight evenly with the Captain and even defeat him.Bleach: Ketsurui: Deicide Genius Intellect: Aku possesses a hidden and great intelligence, well versed in the art of battle, as well as the style of manipulation. In her first fight with Shunsui and Jūshirō Ukitake alongside her "partner" Senmei, Aku used Senmei's illusions as a distraction to take her opponents off guard and attack.Bleach: Ketsurui: Undisputed Defeat Flash Steps Master: As one of the former Captains of the Gotei 13, Aku possesses mastery in the use of Flash Step, capable of keeping up with experts such as Shunsui Kyōraku.Bleach: Ketsurui: Undisputed DefeatBleach: Ketsurui: The Shadow of a Memory Enhanced Strength: Aku has shown herself, despite her lanky build, to be very strong. In her fight with both Shunsui and Taiki, she threw both of them into the ground, nearly incapacitating Shunsui. It presumably matches that of Shunsui's own strength, as she was able to fight on par with him in the majority of their battles.Bleach: Ketsurui: Undisputed Defeat Zanpakutō Sayū: (左右 Influence) is Aku's Zanpakuto. When sealed it takes the form of a menacing scythe, purplish-black in color. Shikai: Sayū's release command is "Sing In The Shadows" (影を歌う, Kage O Utau). When released, Aku's blade drastically changes from its menacing scythe form to a more beautiful sword. The blade is blue, the steel engraved with stars and a crescent-shaped moon. The hilt is a brilliant white, and the handle is a brown color, with the bottom of the handle being neon blue. Aku seems to prefer her Shikai simply because of its beauty. Trivia Quotes References Category:Generation I Category:Character